A section of leaders from Baringo county have raised an alarm over a chopper suspected to be facilitating the rampant banditry activities in the area.
Led by Baringo South Member of Parliament Charles Kamuren, the leaders now want the government to act against the helicopter’s owners.
Speaking while addressing a gathering in the constituency on Wednesday, October 25, Kamuren alleged that two choppers have been frequenting bandit-operated areas.
Further, the legislator raised questions on how a privately owned chopper manages to frequently fly over an area gazetted as a disturbed place without the government’s knowledge.
As such, Kamuren demanded answers from the government on whether the said chopper was supplying ammunition to the bandits who have now consistently caused security threats.
“We saw a white chopper and a blue one. We expect that by tomorrow the owner of that chopper should be arrested.
Additionally, the legislator called for extra vigilance from the security agencies deployed to restore calm in the area.
Besides the concerns about the chopper, the MP also wants the state to purge any suspicious vehicles and even motorcycles operating in the area.
“Any vehicle that does not belong to the KDF, RDU, GSU, ASTU, all those vehicles should be arrested,” he added.
Bandits lay seven-hour siege
His remarks came a day after suspected bandits ambushed General Service Unit (GSU) officers in Kapindasum area.
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On his part, Baringo Senator William Cheptumo also mentioned the alleged white chopper, noting that residents saw a white chopper descending in the area about three days prior to the attack.
In the attack that culminated into a 7-hour gunfight, the gunmen outnumbered the GSU squad and had initially confined them within the vicinity of a school adjacent to a police camp.
Whilst the number of casualties was yet to be revealed, reports indicated that the bandits were heavily armed and sealed off all possible routes to the scene, making it impossible for the state to deploy reinforcement.
A day after the seven-day siege, officers drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) were deployed in the area to lead the multi-agency team’s intensified patrols.
Mystery of a white chopper
But this was not the first time the mysterious white chopper hit Kenyan headlines.
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Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya was among the first to raise concerns over the chopper, noting that he was privy to intelligence of its alleged involvement in banditry.
In February 2023, detectives summoned Pokot South MP David Pkosing after intelligence from various quarters linked him to the mysterious helicopter.
However, Pkosing through his then lawyer Danstan Omari distanced himself from the said chopper, affirming that he does not own a white chopper.
Despite the government’s resolve to restore permanent calm in parts of the North Rift, banditry activities have continued to wreak havoc and disrupt lives.
